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In The Winery

wholesaler. Generally speaking, franchise markets utor must post their wholesale pricing in advance
protect the wholesaler or distributor from losing with the state. The five states that require monthly
revenue and brands they’ve worked to build over price postings are Connecticut, Delaware, Missouri,
time. Before entering into one of these markets, New Jersey and New York. Also, they touched brief-
research the franchise law agreements for that ly on special situations like SS packs, Cuvée cases,
particular state and define the parameters around and other “work-around methods” in pricing wines
potential future releases. If possible, sign a contract for different premise-types.
with these parameters. Thirteen states are current-
ly under a franchise market. Choosing a Wholesale Distributor

• Connecticut Lewis and Eddy advocate asking your pre-existing
• Georgia relationships which distributors they would recom-
• Idaho mend. Also, define the distribution partner’s terri-
• Maine tory and assess if their market focus is in sync with
• Massachusetts those markets you’re looking to target. Then look
• Michigan at those distributors and determine where your
• Montana positioning might be within their portfolio.
• New Mexico
• North Carolina Examine the number of their active accounts
• Ohio with a particular focus on those deemed their key
• Tennessee accounts. Will a new brand get buried because they
• Vermont represent other similar varietals that will re-ceive
• Virginia greater attention from this distributor, or can they
market a new brand effectively? Does the pricing
The final market type they addressed was price for your wine fit in with this distributor’s portfolio?
posting. In certain markets, the winery and dis-trib- Where are their most active sales channels? For

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